YPSILANTI TWP. — Two former Lenawee County residents will appear on an episode of the television show “Katie” with Katie Couric that airs at 3 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 8, on Channel 13 in Toledo.

Cristina Trapani-Scott and her daughter, Kenneke Peck, 14, were invited to be on the show after Couric decided to do an episode featuring the book “Far From the Tree” by Andrew Solomon.

Trapani-Scott and her family are one of many families Solomon writes about in the book, which explores parenting children who differ from the norm in ways physical and intellectual.

In Trapani-Scott’s case, her daughter was born with Kniest syndrome, an uncommon disorder characterized by dwarfism and various skeletal abnormalities.

Trapani-Scott learned that Solomon was seeking parents of children with differences for his research through an online support group and sent information about her family's situation.

“I just got to thinking, Kniest syndrome is so rare, I’d just like to be part of it,” said Trapani-Scott, who now lives in Ypsilanti Township with Kenneke — who goes by the name Kiki — her son, Joshua Peck, 15, and her husband, Jay Scott.

When Kiki’s condition was diagnosed 14 years ago, there were only 200 documented cases of Kniest syndrome worldwide, she said.

Solomon interviewed more than 300 families for the book, which explores differences ranging from dwarfism to Down syndrome, children who commit crimes, prodigies, transgender children and more. The book gained wide attention, and Solomon has been interviewed on “Rock Center,” “Today,” National Public Radio and other media outlets, and he was widely interviewed in the aftermath of the shootings in Newtown, Conn.

“Far From the Tree” explores how parents deal with their children’s unexpected identities that they have never themselves experienced, Trapani-Scott said.

In her case, Trapani-Scott said it was a “journey to figure out what we needed to do to make her life as productive and comfortable as possible.”

Kiki attended Britton schools from kindergarten to sixth grade, said Trapani-Scott, who was a reporter for The Tecumseh Herald from 1999 to 2011. Kiki now is a freshman at Lincoln High School in Washtenaw County and is doing well, Trapani-Scott said.

“She’s never had a problem socially,” Trapani-Scott said. “She’s a very outgoing person.”

Her daughter uses a scooter to get around the school, Trapani-Scott said, but her differences are physical, not intellectual. An interesting fact is that though Kiki is moderately to severely deaf — an effect of Kniest syndrome — “She’s a pitch perfect singer,” Trapani-Scott said.

The “Katie” show contacted her the Monday before Thanksgiving and asked if she would be on the show, Trapani-Scott said. A crew came and filmed at her home right after Thanksgiving, and then she and Kiki were flown to New York City for taping of the show, she said. Couric chose four families to appear on the show, where they are interviewed and their stories told. Solomon also appears on the show.

Page 2 of 2 - “I was nervous, but it was really exciting, too,” Trapani-Scott said.

Trapani-Scott, who now teaches English and writing at Adrian College and Baker College, said an attribute of the book, which also comes through in the television program, is that it demonstrates there are universals that parents of many kinds of differing children experience, and also that their families have a lot in common with less exceptional families.